Microphase Separation within Disk Shaped Aggregates of Triblock Bottlebrushes

Macromol Rapid Commun. 2016 Apr;37(7):605-9. doi: 10.1002/marc.201500686. Epub 2016 Feb 11.

Abstract

Well-defined AbBA triblock bottlebrush with poly(N,N-dimethyl acrylamide) (PAm) as A block and polyacrylate, densely grafted with poly(tert-butyl acrylate)-block-polystyrene (PBA-b-PS), as brush bB block is prepared by controlled radical polymerization and click chemistry. The triblock copolymer with a composition of PAm200 -b-b(PBA14 -b-PS47 )167 -b-PAm200 is obtained and is further transformed into PAm200 -b-b(PAA14 -b-PS47 )167 -b-PAm200 by hydrolysis of the PBA segment into poly(acrylic acid) (PAA). In a mixture of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and methanol, a poor solvent of bB block, PAm200 -b-b(PAA14 -b-PS47 )167 -b-PAm200 self-assembled into disk-like platelets, which have an internal lamellar structure by further microphase-separation of PAA-b-PS branches in 2D. Moreover, Ag nanoparticles are aligned by PAA segments along the disk to form a pattern.

Keywords: block copolymers; microphase separation; molecular bottlebrushes; self-assembly.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acrylamides / chemistry*
  • Acrylic Resins / chemistry*
  • Click Chemistry
  • Free Radicals / chemistry
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Microscopy, Atomic Force
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Polymerization
  • Polystyrenes / chemistry*
  • Silver / chemistry

Substances

  • Acrylamides
  • Acrylic Resins
  • Free Radicals
  • Polystyrenes
  • poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide)
  • poly(butyl acrylate-styrene)
  • Silver